August Digest 2024
Dear Dahlia Friends,
I hope you are all enjoying your blooms! Please read below for a note from our President, information about our upcoming events, and a profile of a DSO member.
Meg
If you'd like to be featured in future issues of the Digest please email me at digest@dahliasocietyofohio.org.
A Note From Our President
Hopefully everyone has started to see some good growth on your dahlias (if not flowers). It’s definitely my favorite time of the year to see the blooms I’m excited to see again, as well as all of my new purchases. I always say I’m not going to buy more, yet I always have some new ones that I’m excited about.
I’ve had a rough go of it this year with powdery mildew, I think we just had a hot beginning to the summer and I didn’t catch it early on. Some of the things I’ve been doing to help try to get on top of it are:
Stripping leaves (especially any with visible powdery mildew). Here’s a nice video by Santa Cruz Dahlias to help you with this.
Using a combination of Milstop and 3336F Fungicide (the later was recommended to me by Coseytown Flowers) and since doing this weekly, I have seen an improvement outside.
It’s also the time of year when thrips make an appearance at my house. I try to stay on top of these to ensure that my blooms aren’t damaged, as well as to try to prevent the spread of virus. This year I changed my routine and I’m not spraying at all, just buying beneficial bugs to help keep the baddies at bay. I usually pick up predatory mites from Nature’s Good Guys (as I’ve also had spider mite issues in the past), with the Ambluseuius Swirskii being my go to purchase. You can easily search by pest though or call them and they’ll help point you in the right direction for whatever you need.
In addition, I’ve started to see some cucumber beetles earlier than normal, so I’ve also started to bag my blooms using organza bags from Amazon. This helps to keep the bugs from chewing on the blooms so I can use them in my customer bouquet subscriptions.
We’ve got a lot of exciting events coming up in August and September so hopefully we will see you at one of them!
Jess
Digest Question of the Month
We reached out to the membership to ask what plants other than dahlias you are most excited to grow this season - here are your answers. Happy Growing!
Lisianthus
Lots and lots of cosmos, sunflowers and zinnias
Birdhouse Gourds
Anemone and ranunculus
Rocket Mix Snapdragons
Rattlesnake master & orienpet lillies
Zinnias - Tequilla Lime Green
Pumpkins/gourds!
State Fair Zinnias
Zinnias
A guord plant that is growing like crazy!
I’m excited about all flowers! I try to keep something blooming all year round. This year, other than the usuals (tulips, daffodils, iris, peony, roses, and lilies) I’ve been excited to see my new Floret zinnia seed bloom. I like the pastel coloration of the palette. I'm also excited to see new daylily and amaryllis seedlings that have bloomed for the first time this year.
DSO Picnic
Our annual DSO Picnic for 2024 is scheduled to be held ~ rain or shine ~ from noon to 3pm, Saturday, August 3rd, at the Moebius Nature Center, 929 East Mennonite Road in Aurora. The outdoor and indoor pavilions are wheelchair accessible.
Thank you to Sharon and Rob Swaney for reserving the Center for us.
The DSO will provide a main dish, beverages, and place settings. Please bring your favorite salad, side, or dessert to share.
Show season is fast approaching! After we eat, we will have a hands-on educational seminar focused on staging and judging blooms with tips for everyone, even if you're not growing for show. Feel free to bring along any blooms you may have, as well as your dahlia questions. Expert advice will be readily available.
If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to contact us webmaster@dahliasocietyofohio.org.
I’m looking forward to seeing old friends and making new friends on August 3rd!
Anna
Picnic Coordinator
DSO Upcoming Shows
The DSO participates in a number of dahlia shows and our own upcoming shows, all of which you can find listed on our website. It’s a great way to get more involved with the DSO and gain a better understanding of how dahlias are judged and what really goes into breeding award winning dahlias.
Plus, you have a chance to win some amazing ribbons and monetary prizes. If you’re a beginner, don’t let that stop you from trying! There’s a specific class for all novice growers and it’s a great way to learn the ropes and have fun while doing it.
Specific emails for each show will be coming out soon, so keep your eyes peeled for instructions on how to enter and we hope to see you there.
Should you have any questions, please email Jerry Moreno at moreno@jcu.edu.
DSO Bouquet Workshop
Our second annual bouquet workshop will be on August 17th, and it is completely SOLD OUT! Which is so exciting! There will be 30 of you participating in this workshop so it will be a great opportunity to meet some new people and share your love of dahlias with each other.
This year the event will be hosted by Scott Robertson, the owner of Stems Fleur, one of the most popular florists in the Cleveland area. Scott will walk you through how to make an arrangement with your dahlias, and I just know that you’re going to have the best time. He’s also opening his garden to our group and it’s so pretty, so it’s an added bonus to the event.
Refreshments will be provided, and a reminder email of what you need to bring will be sent ahead of time.
Member Spotlight!
Name: Patty LaFontaine
City/Town: Hinckley
Tell us a little about yourself: I am happily retired. In my younger years I enjoyed skiing, horses and gardening. Presently, I enjoy traveling, gardening and baking. I must say gardening is my passion. My potting shed is my favorite room of my home.
Number of years growing dahlias: 4 years
How did you get into the world of dahlias? A woman in my garden club (Luba) brought a bouquet of dahlias to a meeting as a centerpiece. I was so enamored by the incredible colors, I just had to find out more.
What is your favorite dahlia to grow? Creme de Cassis and Cafe Au Lait (cannot pick just one!)